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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pop — to visit
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rule — government
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stem — to come from
  14. kick — in football
  15. object — an aim
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. suit — clothes
  19. object — a thing
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stand — for spectators

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com